Rivers women protest erratic power supply, barricades Airport Gate
Women from Ipo Community in Rivers State has blocked the entrance of Port Harcourt International Airport protesting the lack of power supply and other amenities in the area.
The women said despite being host community to the Airport for decades they are not getting commensurate benefit including food and schools.
The protesters who storm the main entrance of the Airport in Omagwa at about 7am on Tuesday displayed with several inscriptions, singing in their local dialect and dancing.
Some of the writing on the placards reads, “We deserve better treatment as host community, ” ‘we demand our citizen’s rights, ” “we want electricity in our community” “Ipo women peaceful protest”, among others.
The protesters caused traffic snarl as passengers could not access the airport, while several passengers travelling along the route were stranded.
One of the women identified as Orinda said, ” In March this year we came here to protest over lack of power supply and other basic amenities. They promised to look into the matter.
“But till now nothing has been dome. That is why we are here. You can see our pots. We will stay here and cook until they answer us.
Recall that in March this year when a similar protest held it took the intervention of the former Chairman of Rivers Traditional Rulers Council, Sergeant Awuse, to calm the protest and vacate premises.
When contacted, spokesperson not the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was yet to receive any report of the protest.
Iringe-Koko, however promised to find out and get back to our reporter, but was yet to do so as of the time of filing the report on Tuesday afternoon.